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Choices made by Socrates and Achilles, and their consequences are one of the themes of the two books

authored by Plato and Homer. It is believed by many that Socrates and Achilles are victims of hubris. Reading through the Apology and Crito it is clear that Socrates does not die due to hubris, but because of his loyalty towards his beliefs. In Homers Iliad, Achilles, even though, he mentions pride in several places, does not chose to kill Hector for glory, but to avenge his friends death. Therefore it is safe to assume that both Socrates and Achilles do not share the same fatal flaw with regard to hubris. A close examination of the fragments of evidence scattered in these books will prove this claim. Socrates is in front of a council trying to prove his accusers wrong. Socrates, in search of individual excellence or arte collides with the demands of the larger community. His views where contrary to the views of the general populace. His unorthodox views about God earn him the title of an atheist. It is accused that his teachings corrupt young minds. His habit of criticizing wrong doers also leads way to his death. His views of arte to be the improvement of ones soul contradicted the popular notion where arte was considered to be the possession of material wealth. He is part of a battle that has been fought for ages. His indestructible loyalty towards his views chokes him to death. For Socrates, loyalty to Athens and his views are equally balanced. He states that he does not fear death. He says: I care not a straw.or unholy thing. It is clear from this extract of the Apology that he belittled death. In page 35 he says that a person like him should not demean himself. Can this be interpreted as hubris in Socrates? Definitely not, because he is a man who would not sell his dignity. In page 38 he states that unrighteousness is harder to avoid than death. Again we see that he is loyal to what he defines as right. In page 40 he gives the council reasons why death is a blessing and not a curse. It is easy to conclude that Socrates is governed by hubris, but a detailed examination will prove the contrary. Socrates due to his lack of fear of death and strong conviction of his views is able to answer his accusers with boldness. He compares himself to Achilles because they both did what their mind told them was right. Here Socrates is not after Achilles' worldly glory but after Achilles reputation of belittling death to do what his mind told him was right. Its clear that Socrates valued the improvement of his soul to be arte. If he viewed arte to be wealth then he would not have said that he was poor. How can the want for glory and hubris enter someones mind who has absolutely no regard for material benefits? It is clear from these evidences that Socrates by dying, protected not his pride nor his glory, but his dignity and beliefs. It is easy to have the impression that Achilles was governed by hubris. However, by scrutinizing the Iliad the exact opposite is found. It must be taken into consideration that Achilles is nowhere close to Socrates' views of arte and also he falls more or less in line with the larger communitys demands. Therefore it is true that hubris is portrayed during the early stages of Achilles behavior in the Iliad. For example, in Book I Achilles says that his honor is hurt when Agamemnon takes Briseis. He asks his mother to persuade Zeus to help Achilles retain his honor. In all these places it is hubris that governs Achilles, but by the death of Patroclus hubris has left and vengeance has entered Achilles' mind. As said in page 53 of our text book it is the ruinous wrath that governs Achilles from then on. By book 18, Achilles accepts death to avenge his friends death. From lines 113-120 he talks of pride. This pride cannot be interpreted as hubris, because the honor Achilles is seeking is, the honor a soldier gets after taking a bullet aimed at his comrade. In book 19 Achilles reconciles with Agamemnon. Has Achilles pride been restored here? Certainly not, because he says to forget the problems caused by Briseis. He renounces his anger not because he has

retained his pride, but because of the loss he has suffered. Achilles desire to fight immediately is a sign of his vengeance that is boiling within him. Blinded by vengeance he ignores the warnings of Xanthus also. In Book 21 from line 100-104 we see his anger towards Hector. Isnt this because of his vengeance and not of hubris? In book 22 he restates the fact that he is ready to suffer the consequences of his choice. As the curtain falls on Achilles, it is prudent to consider these evidences to conclude the fact that Achilles end was caused not by hubris, but by vengeance. Why do we honor Socrates? Is it for protecting his pride or dying for his values? Why do we respect Achilles? Is it for the people he butchered or because he accepted death when he killed Hector? Is pride worth dying for? Doesnt righteousness overweigh pride? As we have seen in both Socrates and Achilles they do not die to protect their pride. By avenging Achilles friends death he accepts death, by staying loyal to Socrates views Socrates accepts death, they both choose death to stand for what they saw right and therefore we can conclude that they were not victims of hubris.

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